William Harrington Edward Watson

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Northcote, Victoria
Death	14 Dec 1920, aged 57
Place of Death	South Fremantle
Age at Enlistment	49 years, 2 months
Description	5' 7½"(1.71m) tall; weight 143 lbs (64.9 kg); sallow complexion, blue eyes, steel grey hair; scar right forearm
Occupation	miner
Religion	Church of England
Address	Eighth avenue, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Hannah Elizabeth Watson
Military Information
Reg Number	1198
Date of Enlistment	30 Nov 1915
Rank	Sapper
Unit/Formation	Mining Corps, No 3 Company
Date of Embarkation	20 Feb 1916 - 25 Apr 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A38 Ulysses
Date of Return	31 Aug 1916 - 10 Oct 1916
Ship Returned On	HMHS Marama
Fate	Returned to Australia (medical)
Monument	Armadale War Memorial (West Armadale panel)
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Married to Hannah Elizabeth Tuck, possibly in Victoria as not registered in WA..

Electoral Roll entries - 1906 a labourer at Cardup; 1909 farmer in Jandakot; 1910 at 1030 Boulder road, Hannans (by himself, Hannah remained at Jandakot); 1912 - 1915 back farming at Jandakot; 1915 a brickmaker living at 8th Avenue, Armadale; 1917 at 51 Thomas street, South Fremantle.

War Service

Recruiting for the Miners’ Corp had circulated in the preceding months accepting men of all ages up to 49 years with mining experience. At the Perth Recruiting Depot on November 27, 1915 William applied for Active Service abroad and passed the preliminary medical examination but subject to his teeth being attended too. Personal particulars from the application show he ignored a few birthdays stating he was forty-nine years and two months of age.

At Blackboy Hill camp, W.A. he commenced his basic training on November 30, 1915 with the 1st Battalion. Recruits were being allotted to the Mining Corps as from December 1st therefore Private Watson was placed for basic training at the Helena Vale camp at Blackboy Hill, W.A. with the newly forming Corps. The Unit’s title was the No. 3 Company, Mining Corps and was made up to strength with 1 Officer and 274 Other Ranks and embarked from Fremantle on December 18, 1915 sailing to Sydney, NSW on board the troopship SS Indarra.

On Boxing Day (Dec 26th), 1915 the Unit arrived in Sydney and marched into Casula Camp, near Liverpool, NSW.

They were joined by the 4th Section of the Tasmanian Miners, bringing the establishment strength up to 15 officers and 349 Other Ranks under the command of 2nd Lieutenant L.J. Coulter. They joined the other companies from all states in final training for the front.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

Sapper Watson was one of 1,248 members of the Corps who boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded. Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board. On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock. The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the ship was reluctant to take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.

Soon after arrival, the Australian Mining Corps ceased to exist as a whole and was redesignated into three Tunnelling Companies which were dispersed where the British Armies required them immediately

Entered France through Marseilles on 5 May 1916 and then by train to Hazebrouck arriving 8 May 1916. Reported ill on 7 May 1916, and spent 15 days with 12th Casualty Clearing Station in Hazebrouck from 8 May before being transferred by hospital train, and admitted to the 26th General Hospital Étaples on 25 May 1916 for a fortnight.

Evacuated to England on 10 Jun 1916 from Calais on HS Stad Antwerpen and admitted to Fort Pitt Hospital, Chatham. On 5 Jul 1916 he was released to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital Harefield before being admitted to Chatham Military Hospital on 12 Jul 1916. On 31 Jul 1916 he was released to No 2 Command Depot Weymouth for return to Australia.

Assessed at No 8 Australian General Hospital Fremantle between 10 and 12 Oct 1916, before being released to Details Camp to prepare for discharge.

Medical discharge granted on 16 Dec 1916 - dilated heart. Had suffered a heart attack in Sydney while running to fight a bush fire in camp, and another while in Broadmeadows.

"...Has returned incapacitated."

Father of Clarence Victor Watson

Post War

Following Bill's death Hannah relocated to 66 South street, South Fremantle till her death on 26 Nov 1932, aged 62.

Notes

Son Clarence Victor b. 1898 in Kalgoorlie, who married Winifred Mary Joslin in Fremantle 1932. Clarence died 13 Oct 1961 in Fremantle and Winifred on 15 Aug 1997 in Bentley. Daughter Ethel Sheraz b. 1901 in E Coolgardie district. She married Harold Percy Calley in 1927, and died 3 Mar 1972 in Bateman. Harold died 7 Oct 1954 in Inglewood.

External Links

• RSL Virtual War Memorial